A Sect from a Spirit Vein

Chapter 362: Chapter 322: The Four Heroes of Yun Mountain

In the height of summer, the nights are short. It is already night fading away, and dawn breaks in the east. Amid the rising morning light, a young girl stands gracefully, slightly pouting.

Jiang Baitao has just turned fourteen this year, in the blossoming years of youth, shedding the innocence of childhood and gradually awakening the freshness of adolescence.

With spots of rosy light and shimmering water, the young girl wears a light blue gown, adorned with four Silver Feathers on her arm. Her figure is slender and graceful. The Flying-Immortal Bun on her head, with two small braids dangling down, adds a playful and adorable charm.

Her skin is snow-like, lips painted vermilion, features delicate and charming. Especially her pair of lively and mischievous eyes, which leave a deep impression, inspiring affection.

A graceful young girl, like a peach blossom budding, or spring water just born, this pure and translucent, dreamy youthful beauty particularly captivates.

Tao Zhongxian’s heart skipped a beat, frantically shouting inwardly, he’s doomed! This Little Fairy is so young yet already so beautiful; when she grows up, not even "city-toppling" or "nation-ruining" would suffice to describe her!

All at once, he threw Jiang Baitao’s identity to the clouds, hurriedly adopting the demeanor of a refined gentleman, displaying utmost courtesy as he bowed: "Young Tao Zhongxian, meeting the Little Fairy."

Jiang Baitao went ballistic: "Fairy is fine, but you must add ’Little’? Is ’Little’ that good? Why do you, big ugly uncle, call yourself ’young’ too?"

A big ugly uncle...

In that instant, like a bolt from the blue, Tao Zhongxian stood there dumbfounded, soul-crushed, utterly mortified.

The Boatman Disciple covered his mouth, desperately suppressing laughter. Tao Boliang, originally about to slap his unreasonable brother, instead felt a twinge of sympathy seeing him like this.

Jiang Baitao, exasperated, turned to the boy beside her and asked, "Li Zi, am I really small?"

Only then did Tao Boliang notice the two boys beside Jiang Baitao, also around fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed in the standard attire of the Yunshan Sect, each with a Silver Feather on their left arm.

The one called "Li Zi" is tall and slender, with a face as refined as jade, brows clear and eyes bright, a handsome young lad. He stood tall and confident, attracting attention.

The other one, with thick brows and big eyes, has a simple and honest face, sturdy build, about as tall as Jiang Baitao, and always wore a silly grin.

These three teenagers are in Mid-Stage Qi Cultivation, presumably leaders among the young disciples of the Yunshan Sect.

With the girl’s petal-like elegant face right there, Li Da flushed red instantly, recoiling in panic, stammering, unable to utter a word.

Wang Ruoyu stepped in: "Junior Martial Uncle, don’t be upset, I think you’re not small."

Jiang Baitao rolled her eyes: "Thank you, Shitou, but how about you call me correctly first?"

The Boatman Disciple chuckled, born from the Zhou Family’s side branch, he’s an elder of the Yunshan Sect. Since its founding, he has watched these young disciples grow, full of sentiment.

Li Da and Wang Ruoyu, now fifteen, have been in the sect for less than eight years, just advancing to Qi Cultivation Level Six. Jiang Baitao progresses slightly faster, advancing to Qi Cultivation Level Six a year ago.

They all have Three Spirit Roots, needless to say for Baitao; Li Da and Wang Ruoyu are also well-regarded excellent disciples. Among the cultivators nurtured since young by Yunshan Sect, besides Wu Yan, they are the most outstanding.

As for Dual Spiritual Roots, only one appears among hundreds of cultivators, and thus far, there has been no Dual Spiritual Root among the Spirit Seeds nurtured by the Yunshan Sect.

"Junior Martial Uncle Jiang, why are you personally on duty at the outpost today?"

Jiang Baitao sighed deeply, quite frustrated: "October First, our sect is hosting the True Inheritance Baishi Ceremony, isn’t it? My sister gave me a strict order: I must advance to True Disciple before then. I have no choice but to do more tasks and pile up Merit Points."

"It’s all because my senior brother is biased. He assigns Wu Yan so many prime tasks to brush up her credentials, and in less than five years, Wu Yan is nearly advancing from Outer Disciple to True Inheritance."

"I’ve been in the Inner Sect Jia Class for almost eight years, still a distance from True Inheritance. If I can’t catch up in four months, my sister will freeze me into an ice block."

Li Da gazed at the four Silver Feathers on Baitao’s arm, enviously: "Oh, Uncle, at least be content. You entered the sect already appointed by the Sect Leader as Inner Sect Jia Class. Look at me and Shitou; it took us five full years to advance from Outer Disciple to Inner Sect Ding Class. Three years have passed now, and we are still far from Inner Sect Bing Class."

"And as more disciples join, the average strength increases, leading to higher advancement requirements. Whether we can add one more Silver Feather in another five years is uncertain."

Jiang Baitao sneered: "These feathers are ugly, what’s the use? If it weren’t for my sister threatening me, I wouldn’t be aiming for True Inheritance."

Li Da secretly grumbled, thinking Baitao enjoys special treatment, her pocket money never running out, so True Inheritance or not doesn’t matter to her. It’s not the same for us.

He carefully said: "Could you stop pulling me along for everything? I want to do tasks on my own..."

"No way!" Jiang Baitao asserted, "We share blessings and face hardships together!"

"But I don’t want to face them with you..."

"What did you say?" Jiang Baitao raised her slender little fist.

Li Da quickly shook his head: "I didn’t say anything."

I already knew, to stand out, I must keep a distance from Junior Martial Uncle. But now, not only have I been entangled with Junior Martial Uncle, but also with her "pug." Without these two drag-alongs, I would’ve advanced to Inner Sect Bing Class by now!

Jiang Baitao nodded contentedly: "Great, with you here, our Three Heroes of Yunshan are bound to accomplish great things!"

Wang Ruoyu grinned: "Exactly, Li Zi, you’re the smartest. You’re our strategist, how can you run away?"

Li Da felt devastated, this trio clearly has no future!

"Also me, it’s Four Heroes, Four Heroes!" Suddenly, a small voice cried out. A girl with a round face and big eyes, wearing two small braids, flew over on a Magical Artifact.

Jiang Baitao joyfully called out: "Linglong, what brings you here?"

Cui Linglong is eleven years old now, her face rosy, carrying a touch of baby fat, so adorable. Four years ago, her Spiritual Root matured, measured as Three Spirit Roots, having a good five-inches talent, subsequently joining the sect and cultivating to Qi Cultivation Level Four.

She always tagged along with Baitao’s trio, most fond of running after them when idle.

She was now riding Brother Liu Zaijiu’s Flying Spiritual Artifact, shouting: "Junior Martial Uncle, my dad succeeded! He’s rushing to your sister’s place, probably to issue the task of collecting Spiritual Medicine. It’s a high-reward and effortless task, go claim it quickly!"

Jiang Baitao wore a joyous expression, as daylight broke and the shift cultivator had arrived. She rushed over, vigorously pinching Cui Linglong’s cheeks: "Good Linglong, Uncle hasn’t spoiled you for nothing!"

Saying this, she grabbed Li Da and Wang Ruoyu and flew down: "Three Heroes of Yunshan, move out!"

Cui Linglong followed closely behind, shouting: "Four Heroes, Four Heroes!"